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Stronger Direction Needed for the National Earthquake Program

RCED-83-103 Published: Jul 26, 1983. Publicly Released: Jul 26, 1983.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO: (1) evaluated efforts by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to carry out the role assigned to it by statutory law; (2) described federal activities to assist state and local governments with earthquake response planning; and (3) discussed why a prediction system has not been developed.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Director of FEMA should formalize and strengthen the role of the Earthquake Policy Review Group, as the program's oversight and management body by: (1) scheduling regular meetings; (2) instituting a process that will bring important issues before it for decision, including establishing program goals, priorities, budgets, and target dates; and (3) requesting, if necessary, specific congressional funding for its activities.
Closed – Implemented
FEMA has taken action to strengthen the interagency review group, including formalizing the group. The group meets regularly to consider budgets, plans, and policy issues. Funding of earthquake activities, however, is still done on an agency-by-agency basis.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Director of FEMA, through the interagency body, should determine the level of priority that should be assigned to achieving advances in technology and knowledge necessary to make a prediction system feasible. This determination should weigh the costs and uncertainties of a prediction system against the potential benefits of reducing loss of life and injuries as well as reducing property damage and disruption. If it is decided that the development of an operational system is vital to the nation's disaster preparedness and scientific and other problems can be overcome, then FEMA and the Geological Survey, through the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, should seek to arrange adequate funding for its development.
Closed – Implemented
The interagency committee is continuing to monitor prediction developments. The 5-year earthquake plan provides for work on earthquake prediction and includes a proposed budget approved by the Office of Management and Budget.

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Topics

Agency missionsEarth sciences researchEarthquakesEmergency managementEmergency preparednessFederal aid to localitiesstate relationsInteragency relationsPlanning programming budgetingFederal agencies